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-Nuingaríen

Faramir, Lord Steward of Gondor, Prince of Ithilien, and just recently, proud father, lay stretched out on the large couch in his office at his home in Emyn Arnen. He held a sheaf of papers in his hand but was too weary to truly see what was on it. He blinked several times but couldn't urge his eyes open. His newborn son was keeping him awake these past few nights—not that the infant was particularly fussy, just that he had to be fed at the most inopportune times. Although most noble households employed wet-nurses for their infants, he and his wife had agreed that only the Lady Éowyn was to nurse their son. Being a dutiful husband and father, he awoke whenever the baby cried for its mother and tried to assist his wife as best he can.

The large door of the office opened and the Lady of Emyn Arnen walked in, her husband's Ranger cloak draped over her arm. Though Faramir did not use it as much as he used to, he still kept it hanging on the stand near the door out of habit and in readiness. Apparently his thoughtful wife had taken it to be cleaned and was bringing it back. The Lady's fair face broke out into a smile at the sight of her Lord and husband uncharacteristically lying down in the middle of the afternoon. Her smile was returned in kind.

"My Lord, what is the meaning of this?" Éowyn teased as she moved toward him. Faramir shifted to allow her to join him on the couch. Instead of answering her directly, Faramir took her hand in his and gazed at her in earnest.

"My Lady, I did not think it possible, but you grow lovelier by the day. How ever do you manage to stay beautiful and appear well-rested when I know for a fact that our son takes more out of you than he can ever take from me but already I am quite haggard and worn?"

The Lady laughed in mirth. "Ever does your tongue serve you well, husband. You flatter yet you make it so it does not sound like flattery."

Faramir took on a hurt expression, "Lady, you wound me. You know I speak no falsehoods." Éowyn laughed again but a soft blush colored her cheeks. She slipped off her slippers and stretched out beside her husband, laying her golden head on his shoulder.

"The answer, my love, lies in the rejuvenating power of a nap."

Faramir considered this. "A nap. It would have been so foreign to me before the little one came but now I quite see what you mean. What say you we take one now?"

Éowyn was about to decline but reconsidered. Her position was quite comfortable and she did tell the nurse to find her when the baby awoke. She yawned, her body declaring what her tongue was too slow to pronounce.

It was Faramir's turn to laugh. He shifted, as if to sit up, his arm still around his wife to keep her from rolling off the couch. "Come, let us retire to our chambers." Éowyn did not stir.

"I am quite comfortable here, Faramir. Shall we not stay?" He did not respond but released her and arose. Éowyn almost put on a pout when he walked to the door but Faramir stopped just before he reached it, instead grabbing his cloak from where it hung beside it. He walked back to the couch, returning to his place beside his wife, carefully spreading the large cloak over them.

"Now, we can sleep," he declared after he was satisfied that Éowyn was comfortable and was far enough from the edge. He yawned. "I would never have thought caring for an infant would exhaust me as much as countless nights patrolling in the wild."

"I could not have imagined that such a small body can demand so much!" She replied fondly. "But truly, Faramir, you need not wake when I feed Elboron. There really is nothing for you to do."

"Perhaps. But I would keep vigil with my wife and stay up with her if nothing else but to lend my support and to express my thanks."

"Thanks for what?"

"For loving me, for sharing my life, for bearing me a perfect son, among other things," was his quiet reply.

Éowyn snuggled closer, "I am blessed to have as husband the best man in Arda. I love you, Faramir."

Faramir breathed against her hair, "And I you."

Elboron's nurse approached the Prince's office. She had come to seek her mistress to tell her that the baby had awakened. She paused just outside the door which was slightly ajar and saw the Lord and Lady clasped in each other's arms fast asleep. The kindly nurse turned away. Let the new parents take their much needed rest; she can entertain the infant until his parents woke. She quietly shut the door.

fin